Venezuela expels three US diplomats

Venezuela Monday announced that it was expelling three US diplomats, while accusing them of plotting to sabotage the economy, BBC reported.

President Nicolas Maduro said the diplomats have 48 hours to leave the country, saying "Yankees, go home!"

Maduro claimed to be having evidence that the trio participated in a power-grid sabotage in September and bribed Venezuelan companies to cut down production.

The diplomats expelled have been named as Kelly Keiderling - the charge d'affaires and the most senior US diplomat in Caracas - David Moo and Elizabeth Hoffman.

The US and Venezuela have been without ambassadors in each other's capitals since 2010.

``We completely reject the Venezuelan government's allegations of US government involvement in any type of conspiracy to destabilize the Venezuela government,'' the US embassy said in a statement, adding that it had not yet been officially notified of the Venezuelan government's decision to expel the three diplomats.

Maduro made the announcement during an official ceremony at the city of Santa Ana.

"Out of Venezuela! Yankees go home! Enough of abuse against the dignity of a peace-loving nation," he said.

Disclaimer: We respect your thoughts and views! But we need to be judicious while moderating your comments. All the comments will be moderated by the NIE editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks. Try to avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines.